Why should you watch La Vuelta?
Every cycling fan knows the three Grand Tours, but the Vuelta a España—the third and final one—too often flies under the radar. The Giro d'Italia launches the season in May, the Tour de France inevitably steals the spotlight in July, and by late August many forget that the Vuelta is still to come. Yet, from a pure racing perspective, the Vuelta is often the most unpredictable, aggressive, and exciting of them all.
The Tour de France may be big business—drawing the biggest crowds and the most TV coverage—but the Vuelta feels like it's just the right size. It carries the prestige of a Grand Tour without losing its sense of fun, at least from a spectator's view. Inside the race, the atmosphere seems more relaxed too. Riders appear a bit more at ease, whether that's thanks to fewer media demands, better accommodations than the terrible hotel room notorious in France in July, or simply because everyone's a little worn down from the season's relentless battles.
The Vuelta a España parcours has developed a very distinct identity compared to the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. It's hard to imagine a more dramatic setting than the routes the race unveils each year. Known for shorter and sharper stages with legendary climbs, the Vuelta brings the heat both literally and figuratively. From the towering Pyrenees to the legendary climbs of Asturias, and the rolling, sun-soaked hills of Spain's diverse regions, the Vuelta delivers both breathtaking scenery and thrilling, unpredictable racing.
The Vuelta organization likes to mix it up and takes more of an "anything goes" approach. Whether it is a summit finish with pitches of 20% grade or a 30km uphill time trial, they're not afraid to throw it into the mix. The difficulty and unpredictability of the course seems to increase the chance to have a "bad day" at the Vuelta.
This year's parcours features the legendary Angliru which many argue is the toughest climb in the world. With an ascent of 12.5 km at an average of 10% grade, with ramps up to 23.5%, the most feared climb in the Vuelta will be a decisive day. During a rain-soaked stage on the Angliru in 2002, David Millar crashed twice but continued despite fog, freezing temperatures, and gradients of up to 23%. Near the summit he stopped just shy of the finish line, removed his race number, and handed it to organizers in protest. Millar later explained that the conditions were unsafe and that including such extreme climbs risked turning the race into what he called a 'circus.'
The Vuelta has long been a proving ground for future champions—Chris Froome emerged from Bradley Wiggins' shadow in 2011, Primož Roglič claimed his first Grand Tour in 2019, and Remco Evenepoel lived up to the hype in 2022. Its late-season timing and unpredictable nature make it the perfect stage for surprise breakouts. In 2023, it was Sepp Kuss who delivered the shock, thrilling U.S. fans by seizing the red jersey. Known primarily as Jumbo-Visma's loyal super-domestique, Kuss's triumph elevated him to Grand Tour champion status and marked the defining moment of his career (Read our three-part interview with Sepp post-Vuelta win)
With the opening weekend behind us and the peloton set to trade Italy for Spain, the real drama of the Vuelta is just beginning. Jonas Vingegaard may be the clear favorite, but if history tells us anything, it's to expect the unexpected at this race. The next few weeks promise daily fireworks on the road—and a daily dose of entertainment from Victor Campenaerts' El Vlog.